James Neill

Brigadier-General James George Smith Neill (1810-1857) was a British soldier who went to India in 1827 to join the 1st Madras (European) Fusiliers with whom he served in the 2nd Burma War. After a spell in the Crimea he returned to India in 1857 shortly before the Indian Mutiny broke out. Neill left Madras for Benares where he ruthlessly crushed the mutineers. He then moved to Allahabad where he relieved the besieged garrison. After the Recapture of Cawnpore in July, Neill was left in command by Sir Henry Havelock and he proceeded extract merciless vengeance for the recent massacres. Despite bitter acrimony between the two men, Havelock gave Neill command of the right wing of the force heading for the Relief of Lucknow. During the furious assault on the 25 September Neill was shot dead by a marksman.